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Obama speaks to thousands at rally ACES issues delay class registration by

Emmeline Zhao THE CHRONICLE

MAYA ROBINSON/THE CHRONICLE

Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama speaks to a large crowd in Raleigh about taxes Wednesday during his seventh visit to the swing state. by

Naureen Khan THE CHRONICLE

RALEIGH They came in droves, by foot, by car, by school bus. Armed with cameras and cell phones, they came ready to capture the images of the man they hoped will capture the White House in less than a week.

More than 20,000 supporters poured into Halifax Mall in downtown Raleigh Wednesday afternoon to watch Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama deliver his closing argument to voters.

There was no shortage of creativity among the crowd’s shows of support. A group of retirees proudly donned their

“Girlfriends Against Palin” T-shirts, while others showcased their Tupac and Warhol Obama paraphernalia.

“I have two words for you, North Carolina: six days,” Obama said. “We can’t afford to slow down, sit back or let up for one day, one minute or one second in this last week.

Not now. Not when so much is at stake.”

Many waited hours in line in the cold to enter the venue, including several Duke students, who said they jumped at the chance to see the candidate in person about a half-hour from campus.

“Honestly, I have never really been that big into politics, but Obama has always interested me because of his powerful rhetoric and speaking ability,” senior MK

Athletics feels economic impact by

Pope said. “It was so much more so powerful—so much more than I even thought...

I don’t even have words.”

Obama once again hammered home his economic policies in his seventh visit to the state.

North Carolina has emerged as a surprise battleground in this year’s general election, with Monday’s Rasmussen poll indicating that Obama and GOP presidential nominee Sen. John McCain are in a dead heat.

“When it comes to the economy, when it comes to the central issue of this election, the plain truth is that John McCain SEE OBAMA ON PAGE

SEE ACES ON PAGE 4

No buses to go to Franklin party by

THE CHRONICLE

SEE ATHLETICS ON PAGE 10

7

DUKE STUDENT GOVT

Ben Cohen

The athletic department’s first strategic plan, approved by the Board ofTrustees in May, proposed an approximately $325 million development campaign to compensate for rising costs of recruiting, maintenance of facilities, growth of coaching staffs and spikes in financial aid. The first step was to “design, test and develop” the fundraising plan that would tentatively appropriate $75 million for the Iron Dukes, $lOO million for capital projects and $l5O million for endowing scholarships.

The plan was more of a statement of best practices than a rigid model, and more analysis was already expected this year. Director ofAthletics Kevin White was hired after its approval, and exact plans in “Unrivaled Ambition” were

The first registration window for Spring 2009 courses will open today—one day later than planned.

Registration for graduate and professional students was delayed Tuesday morning because of setup and configuration problems, Registrar University Bruce Cunningham said. All undergraduate windows have been shifted by one weekday.

Students were notified of the change via mass email Tuesday morning.

This is the second delay with the new ACES: Bookbagging was pushed back Oct. 20 due to a compatability error.

“This issue was really the result of this being a new system thathas many great features but is also somewhat complex to set up,” Cunningham and Kathy Pfeiffer, assistant vice provost and director of Student Information Services and Systems, wrote in an e-mail. “The particular

GLEN

GUTTERSON/CHRONICLE FILE

PHOTO

DSG officials said Wednesday that no buses will run to theFranklin Street Halloween party due to lack of parking space in Chapel Hill.

Logan Hasson THE CHRONICLE

Students will have to find their own transportation to Franklin Street this Halloween.

After much discussion with Chapel Hill city officials over the past few weeks, Duke Student Government leaders announced at the group’s meeting Wednesday night that they will not be running buses to the annual, festivities.

“Basically we tried a bunch of options,” said DSG President Jordan Giordano, a senior. “Everybody [we talked to] said, ‘Yes you can run buses, but you can’t park them here.’”

Chapel Hill’s city manager was open to Duke students attending the festivities, but left it up to DSG to find parking, Giordano said.

“We just couldn’t find a place to park a bus,” he said.

“About 70 people would have been able to utilize it, and it would have been a huge expense.... It was really a no-win situation, and we thought that perhaps we should allocate SEE BUSES ON PAGE 6

THE

2 I THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30,2008

Palin criticizes Bush's energy policy

Kim suffers setback in recovery

>T%.

Earthquake kills 170 in Pakistan

ZIARAT, Pakistan A strong earthquake struck before dawn Wednesday in impoverished southwestern Pakistan, killing at least 170 people and turning mud and timber homes into rubble.

An estimated 15,000 people were left homeless, and rescuers were digging for survivors in Baluchistan, where the magnitude 6.4 quake struck.

Officials said they were distributing thousands of tents, blankets and food packages and sending in earth-moving equipment to dig mass graves. Many of those who survived were left with little more than the clothes they had slept in, and temperatures were expected to drop to around freezing in coming nights.

Syria threatens to end cooperation DAMASCUS, Syria

Syria threatened Wednesday

to cut off security cooperation along the Iraqi border if

there are more American raids on Syrian territory,and the U.S. Embassy announced it would close Thursday because of a mass rally called to protest a deadly weekend commando attack.

Thousands were expected to participate in the government-sanctioned protest. Though authorities usually keep Syria under tight control and Americans have generally been welcomed, violence against U.S.and European interests at protests has erupted in the past.

Today at Duke

TOLEDO, Ohio Republican vice presidential SEOUL, South Korea New South Korean intel\ Y candidate Gov. Sarah Palin called Wednesday for a ligence indicates that ailing North Korean leader Kim "clean break"from the Bush administration's energy Jong II suffered a serioussetback in his recovery from a stroke and has been hospitalized,a newspaper reported Wednesday. policies, which she said rely too much on importing foreign oil.

In her second policy speech in a week, the Alaska governor said The report in the Dong-a llbo newspaper cited an unnamed government official in saying intelligence obtained Sunday the recent drop in gasand oil prices shouldn'tdeter consumers and suggested "a serious problem" with Kim's health.South Korea's lawmakers from seeking alternative energy sources. She cast enerNational Intelligence Service and Unification Ministry said gy independence as a national security issue and said dependence on Middle East oil leaves the U.S.more vulnerable to terrorists.

Wednesday they could not confirm it.

"We not only provide wealth to the sponsors ofterror, we proKim,66, reportedly suffered a stroke and underwent brain surgery in August. A JapaneseTV station says his eldest son wentto Paris to vide high-value targets to the terrorists themselves,"Palin said. recruit a neurosurgeon who was flown back to Asia to treat Kim. The Dong-a report came a day after Japan's prime minister sl,ooofound in videotape returned yk told lawmakers in Tokyo that Kim probably is in the hospital, The best bargain at the Salvation though "not unable"to make decisions as North Korea's leader. thrift store in Kailua-Kona was a Richard SimArmy The chief of the National Intelligence Service had told mons videotape. But Mikela Mercier, 11,decided to lawmakers Tuesday that Kim was "not physically perfect" but pass up the chance to buy the tape for a few coins still able to rule the country. after she found a surprise inside: $l,OOO in $lOO bills.

Mercier said that when she discovered the money while y*W Effects of interest rate cut unclear browsing through the used tapes, she immediately looked NEW YORK Wall Street received the inter- for her mom who was inside the dressing room and told her est rate cut it wanted, but still turned in a bafthey needed to turn it in. fling late-day performanceWednesday, shooting Store manager Jimmy Thennes put out a news release higher and then skidding lower in the very last minutes of on the discovery, praising Mercier for her honesty. trading as some investors rushed to cash in profits after the previous session's big advance.The major indexes ended the day mixed, with the Dow Jones industrials falling 74 points.

Analysts were divided over why the market turned around so abruptly. Some cited reports of a lackluster profit forecast at General Electric Co—a Dow component that dropped nearly 4 percent from its late-session high—and others contended investors were simply looking to cash in gains after the Federal Reserve's decision to lower its fed funds rate by a half-point to 1 percent.

Because of the last-hour confusion, it was likely that it would take the opening of trading Thursday to get a better read on how the market feels about the Fed's rate cut.

—compiledfrom wire reports —

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TODAY

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Deans'Dialogue Westbrook 0016,12:15p.m.- 1:15p.m.

Dean Greg Jones of the Duke Divinity School and Dean Sam Wells of Duke Chapel discuss "Living Lives of Consequence."

CHRONICLE

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the chronicle

I

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30,2008 3

Admins continue talks with city on noise, partying by

Will Robinson THE CHRONICLE

University administrators continued their ongoing discussion with neighborhood residents about student partying off East Campus Wednesday.

It was the third in a series of meetings between Trinity Heights neighborhood residents and University representatives, and it focused on the city of Durham’s role in policing off-campus “party houses” and responding to noise

Administrators, students and Panda Express officers gather on the Plaza Wednesday for the eatery's grandopening.

Alum CEO attends Panda opening by

Julia Love

THE CHRONICLE

Students, administrators and corporate executives celebrated the grand opening of Panda Express Tuesday by snipping an oversized fortune cookie scroll —a symbol of the good fortune the restaurant hopes to bring Duke in the future.

Six weeks after the aroma of Rung Pao Chicken first permeated the West Campus Plaza, Panda Express commemorated its partnership with the University by serving 570 free two-entree meals and accepting donations to the Duke Children’s Hospital in return.

The restaurant’s grand opening did not fall on its opening day because Panda’s Chief Executive Officer Tom Davin, Trinity ’79, wanted to return to his alma mater for the event, Director of Dining Services Jim Wulforst said.

While on campus, Davin met with Executive Vice President Tallman Trask, Vice President for Campus Services Kernel Dawkins, Vice President for Student Affairs Larry Moneta and Vice Provost and Dean of Undergraduate Ed-

ucation Steve Nowicki to discuss how Panda Express can best serve the University and its students, Wulforst said.

“In the short time that we had, [Davin] was certainly curious to hear feedback from Duke and anxious to know what else [he] can do to improve the experience,” he said.

Lemon Grass—a full-service, sit-down Thai restaurant was originally slated for the new Bryan Center storefront.

But when space constraints caused the San Francisco-based noodle bar to renege on its commitment to come to campus this summer, Dining Services was left scrambling to find an eatery that could set up shop in minimal time, Wulforst said.

Senior Sarah Ramig, co-chair of the Duke University Student Dining Advisory Committee, wrote in a letter to The Chronicle Sept. 9 that Dining Services considered several vendors, though it was unclear how many options were on the table. The news ofLemon Grass’s withdrawal from negotiations in May was paired with an announcement ofPanda Express’s arrival.

—

SEE

PANDA ON PAGE 6

complaints.

City Manager Tom Bonfield and City Council member Mike Woodard represented Durham at the meeting.

“The city itself wanted to make a point that they are active in policing party problems,” said Christine Westfall, who

lives on Clarendon Street and led neighborhood efforts to arrange the Sept. 3 and Sept. 24 meetings with administrators. “There was a little bit of back and forth about what is the appropriate level ofinvolvement in policing partying.”

Westfall suggested that Durham look down 15-501 toward Chapel Hill for an example of how to deal with off-campus parties. The town has created a permanent committee that holds quarterly meetings to discuss neighborhood concerns about student partying near the University ofNorth Carolina at Chapel Hill, she noted.

“Over there residents complained about UNC party houses and the town responded proactively,” she said. “It’s not just responding to a crisis.”

Westfall said she had noticed less problems with noise and partying this semester than in past years, and she was pleased with Duke’s efforts to encourage student parties and social events to remain on campus.

“We would like to see Duke proactively police the SEE PARTYING ON PAGE 7

THE CHRONICLE

4 I THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30,2008

ACES from page 1

MAX MASNICK/THE CHRONICLE

Students carve pumpkins Wednesday on theMain West Quadrangle in anticipation of Halloween.

issue that caused the problem this morning had to do with the way the registration windows are configured in the system and how that setup was donefor the graduate window.”

The glitch Tuesday morning resulted from human error rather than a technical problem, Cunningham said, explaining that overlapping registration dates in the system led to a setup failure.

Junior Chelsea Goldstein, Duke Student Government vice president for academic affairs, said Cunningham sent her an e-mail before notifying the student body. Goldstein said that to her understanding, the registration window was manually opened too early by accident. When the program was supposed to automatically open at the scheduled time, the system overloaded.

Because registration was temporarily open prior to the official 7 a.m. start-up time, some students were able to enroll in courses prematurely and others who tried to register after 7 a.m. could not. To rectify the situation and ensure equal enrollment opportunities, Cunningham said all registrations will be dropped.

“We decided to establish an even playing field once again,” he said. “We let the students know that we did this, and most of them were very understanding of the fairness issue involved here.”

DSG’s ACES committee has worked to evaluate and improve the various functions of the ACES Web site that have had many students frustrated since the revamped system’s debut in July. Goldstein, who is on the committee, said members have provided feedback in order to make the Web site more user-friendly. She added that the committee could not have anticipated Tuesday’s manual error, an issue she will raise at the next meeting.

“I will definitely ask if they’re testing the timing aspects of the system in every avenue,” she said. “I think there are some kinks—it’s unfortunate that the student body has to be the guinea pig for it. But I don’t think it’ll happen again next semester. They’ll work it all out by then.”

Graduate and Professional Student. Council Academic Officer Sara Salahi, a second-year Ph.D. candidate in biomedical engineering, said she has offered suggestions to improve the ACES Web site as well, but did not experience enrollment trouble because she received the e-mail from Cunningham before attempting registration.

“Because they are redesigning, they probably didn’t troubleshoot in time before the window opened,” she said.

“For the most part, they’ve made a lot of changes. [Previous test runs] went well—hopefully it’ll go well when [registration] opens again.”

Cunningham and Pfeiffer said SISS has done a significant number of test runs, but the trials did not reveal the possibility of the setup error.

Tracy Futhey, vice president for information technology and chief information officer, could not be reached for comment.

THE chronicle

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30,2008 1 5

Rebels indie panic near Congo dty by

MichelleFall

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

GOMA, Congo Congolese rebels reached the outskirts of Goma they said and declared a cease-fire Wednesday to prevent panic in the city, where retreating government soldiers were commandeering cars and firing wildly as people fled in torrents of human misery.

Gunfire crackled throughout the city with occasional booms from heavy artillery, apparently from fleeing army troops who residents said were out of

Intra-dorm larceny A student’s laptop was stolen Tuesday from a study corral in Randolph Residence Hall, where it had been left unattended.

Extreme determination A student, who was trying to enter the

Sociology/Psychology Building lot, broke the gate arm Tuesday.

parking

Carrying a light load An employee reported that her wallet was stolen from the Duke South Yellow Zone Tuesday.

control.

Tens of thousands of residents and refugees poured out of the city—in cars, on motorbikes or by foot. Some walked with backs doubled over from bundles of belongings, others dragged children, goats and pigs away from advancing rebel

Healthcare on the rise Medication for a visitor to Duke North Hospital was taken from a storage area Tuesday, where it had been placed after the visitor left her medication unattended at the hospital.

troops.

Coma’s governor, Julien Mpaluku, acknowledged that panic was spreading in the eastern provincial capital. He

said he could not confirm that the army had deserted Goma, but stressed that U.N. peacekeepers were still in charge and that rebels had not yet entered the city.

Still, the U.S. embassy said its officials were leaving Goma and urged all American citizens to follow. Hundreds of foreign aid workers were also trying to evacuate.

Rebel leader Laurent Nkunda has threatened to take Goma despite calls from the U.N. Security Council for him to respect a U.N.-brokered cease-fire signed in January.

“We are not far from Goma, but because there is a state of destabilization in the town we decided in our movement to cease fire and unilaterally to proclaim a cease-fire,” Nkunda was quoted as saying by the BBC. Nkunda called on government forces to follow suit, the BBC said.

U.N. spokesman Madnodje Mounoubai confirmed the rebels were not in the city and said peacekeepers were at the airport and in other strategic points.

“What we fear is that if Gen. Nkunda takes the town, is that there will be chaos

Inconspicuous?

A computer monitor was stolen from a cluster in Kilgo Quadrangle House N Tuesday afternoon.

KAREL PRINSLOO/THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

United Nations soldiersfrom Uruguay play with children as they deploy to an observation post near a village by Goma in eastern Congo. The U.N. peacekeeping force in Congo has been stretched to the limit. and maybe even killing on a large scale,” Sir John Holmes, the U.N.’s under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs, told Britain’s Channel 4 News from New York.

Refugees said the Tutsi rebels had already overrun Kibati, a village seven miles north of Goma. About 45,000 people fled the Kibati camp in a matter of hours Wednesday, according to the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees.

“It was very chaotic,” U.N. refugee spokesman Ron Redmond said. “People began leaving the camp in a panic.”

Some refugees from Kibati were among those streaming later through Goma, desperately trying to find a safe place.

The U.N. says its biggest peacekeeping mission—a 17,000-strong force—is now ...

stretched

to

the limit with the surge in

fighting and needs more troops quickly.

Troops from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Uruguay and South Africa make up most of the existing force.

But hopes for immediate backup from the European Union dimmed. French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said Wednesday that EU had considered sending troops to reinforce U.N. peacekeepers in Congo but “a certain number of coun-

High-tech theft A student’s bookbag, which contained a laptop and Duke-owned video game equipment, was stolen from the House B commons room Monday. The items had been left unsecured.

Searching for a new spot A student reported that his camping equipment—left unattended—was pil-

fered from the round-about of the Levine Science Research Center Monday.

Motor-vehicle mugging An employee reported that her vehicle was broken into and property was taken from the car while it was parked in the LaSalle Street parking lot.

—compiled from police reports

tries refused.” He offered no further details.

There were also fears the fighting could explode into a conflict that dragged in neighboring African countries.

visit

dukechronicle.com for news updates

SEE CONGO ON PAGE 8

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THE

6 I THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30,2008

CHRONICLE

PANDA from page 1

COURTNEY

DOUGLAS/THE CHRONICLE

Panda Express held its grand opening on the Plaza Wednesday—six weeks after the eatery opened for business—with its CEOTom Davin,Trinity 79.

Davin heard about his alma mater’s dining woes and was more than willing to help, making a number of concessions so the eatery could begin serving students in the Fall, Wulforst said. He noted that construction on a typical Panda Express location lasts about 250 days, but the Bryan Center operation was open for business within just two months.

“When we had trouble with Lemon Grass, [Davin] called me and said, ‘I can help you out,’” Wulforst said.

“It didn’t come with any strings—just as a Duke grad who wanted to help out. [Most people] don’t put the entire resources of an entire organization at Duke’s doorstep.”

Discussions of campus culture have often called for more sit-down dining experiences—a need that Panda Express, with an indoor dining room that seats just 18, does not seem to satisfy. But Shane Chen, area manager for Panda Express, said recent upgrades to the eatery’s real estate have increased communal dining spaces on campus for students.

The frame for a canopy outside Panda Express’s storefront was constructed over Fall Break, and glass ceiling panels were installed Tuesday to complete the structure.

Six tables and 12 heat lamps will soon be available beneath the canopy, increasing the number of patrons the restaurant can accommodate by 24.

“When we had trouble with Lemon Grass, [Davin] called me and said, 1 can help you out/... It didn’t come with any strings—just as a Duke grad who wanted to help out.”

—Jim Wulforst, director of dining services In addition, a patio located in the foliage beyond the Office of Student Activities and Facilities’ space will provide 75 more seats for students who would like to eat outdoors after Winter Break, Wulforst said.

Davin said his dining experience as a Duke student in the 1970 characterized by a shortage of on-campus options, a problem that he feels Panda Express has helped remedy for current students.

“When we were here, we really didn’t have much,” he said. “I’d love to come here now. I want to sign up for a graduate class.”

s was

BUSES from page 3 the funds for something else.”

Three weeks ago, Duke University Union officials decided not tdcharter buses to Franklin Street in response to Chapel Hill’s decision to limit the party to local residents.

Last week, however, DSC officers announced that talks were underway with city officials and representatives from the University ofNorth Carolina at Chapel Hill’s student government to find parking options.

Students may still hitch a ride to Chapel Hill on the Robertson Bus, which runs from the Chapel Circle to the Morehead Planetarium at UNC, but it only runs until 11 p.m. Fridays. Sophomore Andrew Brown, vice president for Durham and regional affairs, said he encourages students to stay on campus and attend Devil’s Eve rather than find their own methods of transportation to Franklin Street.

“There will probably be a big traffic jam.... Most of the roads immediately around Franklin Street will be closed,” he said. “They will kick everyone off Franklin street at midnight anyway, [so] I would encourage everyone to stay here or do something else.”

In other business: DSG approved a $4OO funding request by Athletics and Campus Services Senator Jenna McNeill, a junior, to run a bus from West Campus to UNC for the Duke vs. UNC women’s basketball game Feb. 9.

“This is a part of a program to gauge student interest, she said. “We are trying to get more Duke students to go to away games so that we have a larger fan base [at them].”

Sophomore Gregory Morrison, a Chronicle columnist, was elected president pro tempore of the Senate. Along with normal administrative duties, he will be charged with reviewing DSG’s bylaws and constitution to look for any irregularities or outdated material.

The new attendance system, in which senators swipe into meetings with their DukeCards, was used for the second time at Wednesday’s meeting. But due to technical failures, executives reverted last night to the roll call method for some senators.

THE chronicle

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30,2008 | 7

PARTYING from page 3 parties [off-campus]. We applaud the trend of more social and party events on campus,” she said.

Although the University played a smaller role in this discussion than in the past two meetings, Dean of Students Sue Wasiolek, Larry Moneta; vice president for student affairs, and Christine Pesetski, assistant dean for off-campus and mediation services, represented Duke.

Duke and Durham have a shared responsibility to address the neighborhood residents’ concerns, Wasiolek said.

“The arrangement is that Durham is the first responder and Duke is able to respond,” she said. “It was important that we be there because we are part of the dialogue.”

Wasiolek said she felt communication and coordination between Durham Police Department and Duke University Police Department was functioning effectively and added that the University would continue to moni-

LAWSON KURTZ/THE CHRONICLE

Sen. Barack Obama responds to rival SenJohn McCain's description of his tax platform as "socialist" at a Wednesday rally in Raleigh.

OBAMA from page 1 has stood with this President [George W. Bush] every step of the way,” Obama said. “He hasn’t been a maverick. He’s been a sidekick.... The biggest risk we can take is to embrace the same old policies that have failed us over the last eight years.”

In addition, Obama spent a considerable portion ofhis address defending himself against the McCain campaign’s characterization of his proposed tax cuts as “socialist.”

“I don’tknow what’s next. By the end of the week, he’ll be accusing me of being a secret communist because I shared my toys in kindergarten,” Obama said. “Don’t let him bamboozle you.”

McCain campaign spokesperson Tucker Bounds offered a swift rebuttal in a statement after the rally.

“I don’t know what’s next. By the end of the week, he’ll be accusing me of being a secret communist because I shared my toys in kindergarten.”

Sen. Barack Obama, Democratic presidential candidate “No one cares what Barack Obama does with his toys, but Americans do care that he wants to raise taxes, add a trillion dollars in new spending and Redistribute your hard-earned paycheck as he sees fit,” he said.

Obama emphasized that his own economic policies will ensure prosperity for all hard-working Americans.

“That ain’t right,” he said repeatedly, referring to McCain’s tax policies that he said would continue to benefit the wealthy.

Obama also paid homage to the supporters who have followed him throughout the unusually long campaign season.

“We began this journey in the depths of winter nearly two years ago, on the steps of the Old State Capitol in Springfield, 111.,” he said. “Twenty-one months later, my faith in the American people has been vindicated. That’s how far we’ve come—because of you. That’s how we’ll change this country —with your help.”

In the frenzied run up to Election Day, supporters said they were not afflicted with campaign fatigue.

“I think that the urgency part of it is wanting it over with and seeing him in [the White House],” Obama supporter Daladier Miller said. “Just get through it.”

check election.chronicleblogs.com for more coverage of the 2008 elections

the situation Sophomore Andrew Brown, Duke Student Government’s vice president for Durham and regional affairs, also attended the meeting Wednesday. He said in an interview afterwards that Trinity Heights residents want to see DUPD implement a stricter alcohol enforcement policy off-campus. Although there were more than 300 on-campus alcohol offenses noted in the 2007 Clery Report, there were only three liquor law arrests reported off-campus.

“They don’t care that we are drinking, they just don’t want to be bothered by it,” he said, adding that residents may be underestimating DUPD’s enforcement. “I don’t think the Duke police is as lax as they seem to think they are.”

Brown agreed that DUPD and DPD were communicating effectively, but he said DPD could do a better job of understanding the perspective of partying students.

Westfall said the residents scheduled a final meeting with the University for Nov. 13 to draft a list of resolutions for the problems. tor

THE

8 I THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30,2008

neighborhoods of Goma, -residents said by telephone, speaking anonymously in fear of retaliation. One man said he had to run

CONGO from page 5 The Congolese army said troops from Rwanda had crossed the nearby border and attacked its soldiers earlier Wednesday, a charge that Rwanda’s Tutsi-led government immediately denied. Still, Congo turned to neighbor Angola for help “defending territorial integrity.”

Congo suffered through back-to-back wars from 1996 to 2002 that embroiled eight African nations and became a rush at

Congolese tank aid thousands of displaced people stream into Goma Wednesday as rebels neared the city.

behind a wall to escape a barrage of gunfire from Congolese army troops.

Residents holed up in their houses, fearing army troops would loot on their way out.

Soldiers briefly hijacked a car carrying an AP cameraman and photographer and demanded to be driven about 50 miles to the town of Saki. But the soldiers fled after learning that the rebels were only a few hundred yards away.

Nkunda said the Congolese government has not protected his minority Tutsi tribe from a Rwandan Hutu militia that escaped to Congo after helping carry out the 1994 Rwanda genocide in which half a million Tutsis were slaughtered.

The U.N. peacekeeping force’s failure to halt the rebellion has enraged ordinary Congolese, some of whom attacked U.N. compounds in Goma with rocks this week.

A bombardment outside Goma in the morning frightened thousands of refugees and stirred growing anti-Tutsi sentiment in a region where decades of conflict with the majority Hutu reached a cataclysm in the

“There is a lot of violence.... This is of deep concern to us.”

Sean McCormack, U.S. State Department spokesperson

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the country’s vast mineral riches.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Wednesday he was speaking to the presidents ofCongo and Rwanda to resolve the crisis and that Europe and the United States plan to send diplomats to try to negotiate a peaceful solution.

The U.S. State Department said Jendayi Frazer, assistant secretary of state for African Affairs, would arrive in the Congolese capital ofKinshasa Thursday.

“There is a lot of violence,” said department spokesperson Sean McCormack.

“This is of deep concern to us.”

Government soldiers entered Coma along with the fleeing refugees, grabbing private cars, taxis and motorbikes to speed their retreat.

Gunfire crackled in several northern

1994 genocide.

“It’s the ‘long noses’ from Rwanda who are bombing us, the Rwanda Tutsi,” refugee farmer Caspar Sebigore said.

In the days after Rwanda’s genocide, more than a million Hutus fled to Congo where they regrouped in a brutal militia that helps fuel the continuing conflict in eastern Congo. “[Congo’s army] wants to divert the international community’s attention from the fact that they are collaborating with the masterminds of the Rwandan genocide,” Rwandan Maj. Jill Rutaremara told The Associated Press.

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About All Hallows’ Eve All Hallows Eve is the eve of All Saints’ Day, the festival in the church that recalls the faith and witness of the men and women who have come before, celebrates our continuing communion with them, and memorializes the recently deceased. The early church followed the Jewish custom that a new day began at sundown, thus feasts and festivals in the church were observed beginning on the night before. The night before All Saints (or All Hallows) became known as All Hallows Eve, or Hallow-e’en.

CHRONICLE

volume 11, issue 11

where beggars are choosers

October 30, 2008

GET BACK TO BASICS

recess plans your weekend, INSIDE PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY GLEN GUTTERSON

hayti

secrecy

deerhunter

Arts center preserves, supports folk art, music and more

CDS exhibit interrogates assumptions behind surveillance

Indie darlings deliver on newest release

PAGES

PAGES

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7

October 30,

recess

■ [editor's note]

If you don’tknow what 4chan is, you should be ashamed. At this very moment, I hope you are looking up 4chan on Wikipedia and Googling why you’ve been living under a rock.

I seem to be making a pretty big fuss about some lame website with a lame name that only lame tech geeks use. However, tills very website is capable of “melting your brain,” changing the course of pop culture and bringing down Western civilization —and your mom.

For a quick rundown, 4chan is a U.S. imageboard modeled after die ones in Japan. It receives 8.5 million page views a day and is currently the fourth largest online bulletin board in the world. The site is powerful because of the sheer magnitude of viewers who are “trolling” the web. If things become popular on the site, it will surely be within the reach of the common Internet user in no dme.

The best part? Everyone’s anonymous. No usernames or logins required.

The information is completely unfiltered and hence a breeding ground for controversy. Child porn, bestiality and bomb threats are common posts. Click on “/b/,” the website’s random content page and prepare to be desensitized.

Wondering what sick, disgusting person was responsible for the evolution of a website both influential and profane?

Try a scrawny 20-year old who goes by the name “Christopher Poole.” Mr. Poole, who started the website five years ago in his room, is also known as “moot,” his username on 4chan.

The mysterious figure came to speak

in one ofmy classes this week. The :irst thing I thought; he could pass for a hispter. Moppy hair, sweater over polo, skinny jeans and sneakers. Awkward posture, slightly geeky. This kid is clearly ironic.

As Poole stood before us, talking away about privacy and security concerns of his site, I wanted to personally thank him for a few things. I wanted to thank him for the phenomenon of lolcats (yup, you know it).

The viral sharing of cute cat accompanied by equally cute captions has changed my perspective of the world profoundly. I can no longer go a week without being bombarded by the propaganda of these turn creatures. Without moot, I would not receive Facebook group invites to “24,680,000 VOTING LOLCATS FOR PREZ!” I wanted to thank him for rickrolling. Youtube would not be the same without it. Pranking someone has been taken to a whole new level. Knowing that one of my friends were fooled by such a lame scheme brings so much happiness to my heart. Even the Duke football team is indebted to its genius.

However, I couldn’t thank him in person. Otherwise, my anonymity would be lost. Although I don’t agree with some most of the content that is posted, my life is more fulfilled because I gazed into the eyes of what Time has called “one of the most powerful people on the web.” Viva mootocracy, lolcats and more pointless trends!

—Anonymous (a.k.a. Jessie Tang)

In case you haven’t heard, and in case you didn’t have enough reasons to hate the city of Chapel Hill (reason #254: It’s arguably harder to park legally near Franklin Street than it is to park legally near West Campus), the fun-hating losers who govern the village down the road have decided to quash the nationally ranked Franklin Street Halloween debauchery.

I say, don’t let those punks ruin your weekend. On this week’s centerspread we’re highlighting some of the many options available in Durham. Franklin Street might be out of the question, but a party without Tar Heels is like a night without sunlight. Party hearty Friday night, but make sure you can recover -rirtime to get to Chapel Hill (I know, I know) in time to hear a remarkable group ofmusicians spout politics and tunes. Pro-Obama or not, a chance to see the dß’s, Superchunk, Portastatic and Billy Bragg is worthwhile, hungover or not.

Later that night, Bragg will play at Duke.

Tickets seem to be going fast, but Bragg —an old socialist with a great Cockney accent should be entertaining, if my conversation with him was any indication.

—

2008

For your Sunday amusement, get some culture and check out the 50-some venues in the Durham Art Walk.. There will be 200 featured artists and live music all over town. Who says there’s nothing to do in Durham?

Finish the night off at Local 506 (the club, not the union hall—Billy Bragg is the socialist in this bunch) with Bishop Allen, who you might have heard in Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist... unless you took recess’ advice and stayed away from that. Arts Editor Jessie Tang spoke with the band’s lead singer and should give you a reason not to stay away from the show.

If you’ve still not-had enough, read up on art you can see at the Hayti Heritage Center near North Carolina Central University or at the Center for Documentary Studies, where two artists —well, one artist and one “experimental geographer”—explore the seedy world of surveillance.

Do all that, and you should be able to spite the Chapel Hill municipal government and avoid doing that econ problem set. You can thank us later.

—David Graham

■ [recesseditors] Change we believe in

David Graham Nancy Wang Baishi Wu Jessie Tang Jordan Axt Andrew Hibbard Glen Gutterson Kevin Lincoln Chelsea Allison

underwear Lynn Hall Tupac hipster darlings dimes, nickels, pennies sexual partners Brangelina brood size Being 19!

Coach Cutcliffe

October 30, 2008

recess

PAGE 3

Hayti celebrates black arts culture by

Braden Hendricks THE CHRONICLE

COURTNEY DOUGLAS/THE CHRONICLE

A diorama depicts the body ofa bound detainee, part ofScenes ofSecrecy, a show examining modem society'spervasive intelligence collection through art

CDS keeps an eye on the spies by

Sanette Tanaka THE CHRONICLE

A group of ordinary people—plagued with expressions of awe, fear and tension—stare intendy out of the frame at an unseen monitor. Those looking at this particular photograph can’t help but wonder: what is behind it?

According to William Noland—the artist behind the image —and Trevor Paglen, the source behind the screen is America’s illusive-yet-pervasive Big Brother, exposed in their newest collection, Semes of Secrecy: VisualStudies on Suspicion, Intelligmce, and Security.

On display at the Center for Documentary Studies, the exhibit explores how the government and other officials obtain knowledge from companies, terrorist suspects, foreigners and even U.S. citizens in the name of security.

Noland, associate professor of the practice of visual arts, and Paglen, an artist and writer in the Department of Geography at the University of California at Berkeley, explore whether the surveillance is justified.

The exhibit showcases photographs, videos and testimonies

across two floors. The top level focuses on the private sphere of average citizens. Although the numberof topics covered is ambitious, this portion still succeeds in illustrating a broad picture of our current breach of privacy. Highlights include a series of eight monitors, each showing clips of common people captured in seemingly unsuspecting places such as supermarket aisles and living rooms.

Sponsored by North Carolina Stop Torture Now, the lower floor presents StayBehind the Line, a look into the torture methods experienced here and abroad. At the bottom of the staircase behind a yellow securityline, a makeshift body lays bound and gagged underneath a set of detainee photos. Several of these images are darkened silhouettes of prisoners, reinforcing the ambiguous nature of the ways intelligence is collected.

The theme continues with Camp Diaries, Nolan’s documentary on photojoumalist Dorothea Lange’s images ofjapanese internment camps in the 19405.

Although striking in appearance, the exhibit is somewhat vague overall. Still, the works on display parallel the shades of gray that characterize the current state of surveillance.

Hidden among the fast food chains and gas stations on Fayetteville Street, the Hayti Heritage Center is often a discounted source of both the arts and education. Constructed to celebrate the local community’s achievements, the center is also the home to St. Joseph’s Historic Foundation, an educational resource that sponsors the annual Bull Durham Blues Festival.

The name “Hayti” originated with Dr. Aaron McDuffie Moore, the first black man to practice medicine in Durham. While working as a missionary in Haiti, Moore saw a vibrant black culture analogous to the one he knew in Durham. Upon returning, he named the African community the “Hayti District.”

The center itself was founded in 1975 as part of an initiative to reform education in Durham by “providing programs, cultural art and historic preservation,” said Dianne Pledger, CEO and president of the St. Joseph’s Foundation.

Aside from education, one of the main goals of the institution is to promote artistic expression unique to black culture. There are currently two main visual exhibits on display at the center. The paintings of selftaught artist Nellie Ashford are featured in Piedmont Pioneers: Connecting the Regions featuring Nellie Rawls inside the main foyer.

Ashford explores the daily rituals and struggles of the rural black community through the use of acrylics, and her creations, including portraits of women washing clothes by the river and scenes ofcollective dancing, conjure up the powerful words of Zora Neale Hurston and Aiice Walker.

One floor below in the basement is a gallery of handcrafted musical instruments from Charles “Wsir” SEE HAYTI ON PAGE 8

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for change

Indie stalwarts Ba-rock chapel Hill forDemocrat

Andrew Hibbard the chronicle

Chapel Hill’s early voting ends on Saturthat doesn’t mean the polls aren’t

rocking. lii Ski, they will rock harder than ever Saturday mpniing as a slew of local bands lake the stageTor N.C. Rocks for Change, a concert in support ofBarack Obama on the campus of the university of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

The set islikare treat, with shows from ’Bos power-pop group the dß’s—who were broken up from 1987 to 2005—and an acoustic set from Merge Records co-founder Mac

McCaughan’s Superchimk. McCaughan’s other band, Portastatic, and label mate Ivan Howard of the Rosebuds will afso play. 1"he lineup expanded Wednesday to include Billy

Bragg, who will perform in Page Auditorium the same night.

*

“Mac asked me if [Bragg] would do it,” said Aaron Greenwald, director of Duke Performances. “It should be cool.“ The event comes on the heels of James Taylor’s Oct. 20 show at UNC, also in support of Obama. Several major acts—including Dave Matthews and Bruce Springsteen—have performed in support of the Democratic presidential candidate nationwide, “He’s the only candidate I can imagine campaigning like this,” McCaughan wrote in an e-mail. “Musicians are using their talent—the tools at their disposal—to get the word out and get people hopefully to the polls.”

Even though the Triangle area typically votes Democratic, McCaughan believes the concert is still important, “It doesn’t matter what county you’re in, getting out the vote is the key to turning N&. blue and helping win the election

for Obama and for change the country needs,” he said. “Getting people to the polls and getting them there early is key because who knows what will happen on Election Day.”

N. C. Rocks for Change is Nov. 1 at the Graham Terrace adjacent to UNC’s Morehead Planetarium. The concert is from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The event is unticketed.

billy bragq I "II

8 Saturday by

David Graham THE CHRONICLE

Sitting in a Washington, D.C., hotel room one week before the presidential election, Billy Bragg is very afraid.

Is the outspoken leftist singer-songwriter worried about the outcome of the election? About the results of theWorld Series (however much he quibbles with its claim to represent the whole world)? About theangry e-mail he got from a John McCain supporter who came to his show Monday?

No. Bragg is haunted by a figure from his native England’s recent past “I’m in shock,” he says in his trademark Cockney brogue. “I’ve just seen some footage [on television] of Margaret Thatcher alive and mov-

1

Lefty singer brings political art views to Page and Auditorium

ing about. It’s terrifying.”

It’s not surprising that Bragg is nervous about seeing the Iron Lady.

Being a socialist, trade-unionist singer during Thatcher’s heyday surely wasn’t for the faint of heart—not that Bragg’s ever been weak-kneed about his convictions.

He’s been making political music—with healthy doses ofother music, too—for three decades, including, as he puts it, when it wasn’t “fashionable.” He is certain to deliver a political message in his concert at Saturday as part of Duke Performances’ Art/Politics/Now series, focusing on political music’s role in contemporary society.

“The audiences are pretty charged up at the shows, wherever we’ve been—not just in urban areas but places like State College in Pennsylvania and Ithaca, New York,” he says. “I’m kind of picking up on that, getting carried away myself.”

It’s also not surprising that Bragg supports Barack Obama—although he

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SEE BRAGG ON PAGE 8

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entCl& ie r at ona l acclaim received from the El Gmo to Velazquez exhibit and the addition of new Heritage Center, galleries such as Golden Belt, it is no overstatement to Musical entertainment ai|| claim the Bull City art scene is booming. scattered throughout the week Those interested in peeking into the various nooks located at CCB Plaza in the h and crannies of Downtown can partake of the semian- comer of Corcoran and Parrisl nual Art Walk, organized by the Durham Arts Council, hop and bagpipe sets are amonj With more than 200 artists and 50 locations participat- accompany the visual assembly ing in this weekend’s event, viewers will get a taste of the The fluid, unstructured nai diverse but unrestrained atmosphere of Durham. low viewers to see venues that “People enjoy [the walk] because it’s fairly low key,” looked, DeMottsaid. said DAC Director of Artist Services Margaret DeMott.

“I think one of the things th “You can come for 20 minutes [or] you can do it for four ofhow the Arts Council and Art hours. The participants can structure it [themselves].” a juried event,” she said. “In a The walk has expanded each year since its modest about the Durham arts scene, beginnings in 1997, when downtown artists and busi- because we have such a [diver organized it as a grassroots event. This weekend, closed, you’re going to miss so ggjnfesses 15 new sites—including Somerhill Gallery, Golden Belt and yoga center Patanjali’s Place—are offering up their Durham Art Walk takes p spaces to host local talent. The historic Trinity United town Nov. 1 from 10 a.m. tosp■ n Methodist Church will also give tours highlighting its For more information, visit duito* *

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bishop alien Rockers roll into Chapel Hill'sLocal 506 It’s hard to know exactly when a band has “arrived.” Some wait for major record deals. Others count MySpace hits. There’s still no consensus, but one thing is clear: any time your music plays over Michael Cera inexplicably wooing pasty, misunderstood women, you’ve made it Such is the case for Bishop Allen, a Brooklyn-based quartet with a knack for making infectiously intfospective pop music. Lead singer and guitarist Justin Rice spoke with recess’Jessie Tang about the group’s latest work, movie stardom and the message in their music.

■

Are you guys excited to tour again?

Yeah, especially because we have new songs to play that are really fresh. We’ve never played them live before. And anytime that happens, it makes touring a million times better.

Is your sound different on the new album?

There are some instruments thatwe’ve used a lot on the new album that we’ve never used before, like the marimba. It’s a much more percussive album, the rhythms that we’re using are different than anything we’ve ever use, more varied.

More sunny pop?

There’s more you can dance to. There’s a lot of tension, but it’s not blustery. It’s a little bit funnier and a little wryer. The songs don’t seem too puffed up like

■

they’re taking themselves to^gseriously.

I know the band had a cameo in Nick and Norah. How was working on the film?

It was awesome. We were on|y on the set for two days, but it was this huge pfhduction, surrounded by all this equipment and all these people. It was a Hol| lywood production. It was really fun though because despite all that, it felt like we were playing a show. We went to a club and set up all our equipment and played the song. It was both surreal and normal at the same time.

Was it weird to be in such a big budget indie film?

Yeah, when I went to go see it, it was like, ‘I almost can’t believe that that’s us.

It doesn’t make sense that we’re in it.’

It’s also really exciting, to see yourself

up there at the megaplex. Those kinds of things, they never seem real, and it’s so incomprehensible.

What would you say your band seeks out to say through your music?

I don’t know if there’s one particular theme, because it’s not a lecture series or self-help session .You’re not supposed to come away with a particular idea. Music has a place in the world, and I believe that. Something about- the music speaks to people, and that has to do with where

they are, what they know, how they’re feeling and in away, music is a reflection of the world that I find myself in. If anything I would hope with music is that it makes me feel connected to other people. It’s not to say that the point of the music is to say that we’re all connected.

Finding music that other people like, sharing it with them, is a really important way to stay connected to the world.

At least for me that’s part of it: seeking connection and not feeling stranded.

On Campus 1 Colombian Dream. “It’s edgy, creadve,” Screen/Society Pro-

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ney of Ariel Dorfman. This highly acclaimed documentary traces the life and career of Duke professor and Chilean writer Ariel Dorfman, who fled Chile after the fall of the Allende government. Dorfman or his son Rodrigo Dorfman, one of the film’s directors, Film Theater, 7 p.m. will introduce the film.

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gram CoordinatorHank Okazaki said about this Colombian tale of drug lords and teenage slackers narrated by an aborted child. “This is part of a fresh, new wave ofcinema [in Colom-|| oia]Director Felipe Aljure will present the film. Griffith Film Theater, 7 p.m.

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22nd year focuses on African roots, youth movements Leslie Griffith pTHE aiRONi|LE The Latin American Film Festival turns 22 this Sunday, but don’t explct a cptarter-life crisis. With nearly 30 feature films and docurncntaries showing at nine venues across the Triangle and Piedmont Triad, the festival is coming into its own—and still striving to improve.

This year’s festival, which runs from Nov. 2 to Nov. 18, focuses on African-rooted and youth cultures in Latin America. In the past the Consortium in Latin American and Caribbean Studies at the University ofNorth Carolina at Chapel Hill and Duke organized the event. But as the festival has grown, five other universities—North Carolina State University, North Carolina Central University, Durham Technical Community College, Guilford College and UNGGreensboro have become co-sponsors.

Festival Director Miguel Rojas-Sotelo explained that the selection committee, composed by

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of film scholars from participating universities, wanted to give this year’s festival a more defined theme than in years past, “We realized that Afro and youth cultures are two topics that mix together—there’s a cultural dynamic because of music,” he said. “They get together in rap music, in new popular music of the region—samba, reggaeton, salsa, even contemporary rhythms in rock. Youth are using these rhythms to say things.”

The emphasis on Afro music and culture will be front and center at the festival’s kickoff, where local Latino rappers will perform in conjunction with a film about five Cuban rap bands, To add to the experience, festival organizers have arranged for several filmmakers to present their films at the festival, including Rodrigo Dorfman, the son of Duke Film/Video/Digital and Latin American Studies Professor Ariel Dorfman, who directed a film about his father’s experience in exile from Chile.

“This year’s festival is unique in that we have a large number of film directors here to show their films, more probably than we’vehad the other years,” said Natalie Hartman, associate director of the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies. “We have people coming from Colombia [and] El Salvador and a number oflocal filmmakers as well.”

Rojas-Sotelo said he hopes the festival can attract a broader audience—especially because of the region’s burgeoning Hispanic community.

“The festival is a traditional event among universities and the academic world, but what we want to do is make a big step and come out ofacademia to bridge comunities,” he said. “We have a responsibility to try and reach this community.”

The Latin American Film Festival is spread across the Triangle, but three films will show on campus (above). All film showings are free and open to the public. For more information on the festival, visit lat-

infilmfestivalnc. com/.

PAGES

CHANGELING DIR C. EASTWOOD POLYVINYL

Clint Eastwood is old. He is so old that he remembers exactly what Los Angeles looked like during the 19205. Unfortunately, he is also so old that he has begun to forget how to direct a powerful movie.

In Changeling, Angelina Jolie stars as Christine Collins, a single mother living with her son Walter in L.A. circa 1928.

One Saturday, she leaves for work. When she comes home, she discovers that her son has vanished. After months of fruitless hunting, the police find a boy claiming to be Walter. Christine insists that this child is not her son. But as she points this out, she is treated first as a hysterical traumatized woman and then as a lunatic and threat to public order. She is ignored, smeared in the papers and then locked away in a mental hospital.

Jolie’s character never stops fighting, but the film’s weaknesses are apparent

recess

October 30,

2008

asjolie never stops overacting. Her twodimensional portrayal makes every scene feel overwrought with distress and overwhelmed by a narrow range ofemotions.

There are a limited number of ways to respond to sneering male condescension, and she exhausts them fairly quickly. The film, on the other hand, seems to never exhaust itself and stretches well past the two-hour mark, creating boredom where a dark investigation of multiple forms of evil was possible.

Michael Straczynski’s script, although based on an entirely true story, comes off as wholly unfathomable. Eastwood establishes a near perfect period piece, but forgets to add in any soul. There are glimmers of potential and even long sequences where the film is an engaging tale of wronged innocence in the hands ofunaccountable power. The complicated, incredible story, however, is its own undoing as tension dissipates and is soon replaced by a desire for the meandering, unfocused effort to draw to a conclusion.

—Caleb Seeley

RACHEL GETTING MARRIED DIR J. DEMME SONY PICTURES CLASSICS

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Jonathan Demme succeeds in adding something new to the dysfunctional-family-drama genre with Rachel Getting Married.

Although another extended bobbing-camera film is hardly original, his direction molds the style to create a unique story of intimate conflict.

After a year in rehab, Kym Buchman (Anne Hathaway) returns home for her sister Rachel’s (Rosemarie DeWitt) wedding. Her arrival brings family discontent and long-buried memories to the surface.

Superb acting by all of the cast members carries the film. Hathaway thrives in her unconventional turn as a self-loathing,

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paranoid casualty of drugs. Her eyes are piercing, her emotions raw and unfiltered.

Kym is a walking disaster, and the effect she has on her family and the viewer is to electrify them with the dreaded truths of the family’s past. DeWitt delivers a similarly

powerful performance, creating a character whose unbridled jealousy exacerbates the pre-wedding conflict.

The film is not without imperfections.

There are a few scenes that drag on too long, and the wedding music, which is excellendy written and performed by Robyn Hitchcock and others, unnecessarily dominates the last act.

Despite these flaws, Demme’s direction and Hathaway’s acting give life and meaning to the powerful tale of Rachel’s wedding.

—Caleb Seeley

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October 30, 2008

the

cure

PAGE 7

GANG GANG DANCE

DREAM

SAINT DYMPHNA

THE SOCIAL REGISTRY

GEFFEN

����� When I was in high school, I dyed my hair four different shades ofnot-yellow. I was hoping for the Eminem look because he was just so cool. But nothing ever goes as planned.

Likewise, 4:13 Dream, the Cure’s 13th album, was originally scheduled to be released on Sept. 13, with a single released on the 13th day ofeach of the four months leading up to the release. That didn’t happen. But more importantly, when you’re nearing-50like thejQure’sJßobert Smith and your only gimmick is unlucky numbers, it may be time to reevaluate your career trajectory.

And if it’s not obvious why the Cure needs a ploy, look no further than Dream.

“It’s Over” and “The Only One” pay a little too much tribute to The Cure’s early ‘9os work and don’t demonstrate the same energy that Smith exerted back in the day.

They have even resorted to scouring their back catalog and rehashing songs the band knew weren’t good in the first place, like “Sleep When I’m Dead.” .Album opener “Underneath the Stars” is quite the fake-out. The first minute and a half of guitars leads one to believe that the intoxicating instrumentation will continue, but then Smith’s vocals emerge. The lyrics are completely muddled under the music, so all that comes across is a whine and the occasional “...neath the stars.”

U 2 and the Rolling Stones have been around the block, but they too are only remembered for what they used to be, not what they are now. The same goes for The Cure. It’s time for Robert Smith to stop being a weirdo and begin reminiscing about his life experiences, maybe write a memoir or something.

—Alex Reinstein

DEERHUNTER MICROCASTLE

KRANKY

����� Deerhunter is bubbling restraint, Their music bristles and reverberates, threatening in equal parts to either explode into tsunami static or fade out completely.

Microcastle, their third release, is defined by this schizophrenic, varied impulse, an outlook embodied in frontman Bradford Cox. Cox, the group’s creative engine, seems to straddle the line between musical catharsis and introspection, both bleeding out his problems and keeping theminternal. “Agoraphobia” is the first ofmany exemplary songs.

The piece is marked by the story it tells, with fitting lyrics thatmatch up well with the tide’s fear. The vocals are delivered by a confident and capable Lockett Pundt, primarily the band’s guitarist, who sings, “I had a dream/ No longer to be ffee/I want only to see/Four

In the wake of new-age dance-rock bands like Architecture in Helsinki and Crystal Castles comes Brooklyn quartet GangGang Dance with Saint Dymphna. From driving dance beats, layer&.ofsynthesizers and detached feminine vocals emerge a soundtrack for a beautifully sweaty, freaky sex party in the trendiest Williamsburg apartment imaginable. As Time Out New York exaggerates, Gang Gang Dance has “found the g-spot of the universe.”

Listeners be warned; innovation may come at the price of inaccessibility. While some tracks border on annoying ambience, “First Communion” is ready-made for hipster dance parties. A synthesized introduction is soon eclipsed by a refreshing reggaeton drum sample that is quickly surrounded by vague, echowalls made ofconcrete,” ing vocals and inhospitable guitar riffs. The Pundt does well, but it’s Cox’s voice that natural-sounding drums provide something to hold on to amidst the cacophony. Like the proves riveting. He brings a depth and variety to the record, sometimes singing softly in sweat on the lower back of an anonymous a higher register (as on “Microcastle”) and grind partner in a drug-induced euphoria, the others using a lower, authoritative voice. The drum sound may be the only reminder that best example of the latter is rocker “Nothing we are still in a physical universe.

Ever Happened,” which opens with a dynaFrom here, the album slips into even mite bassline and rapid-fire drumming. The stranger territory. As the instrumental track rhythm section continues to anchor the song, “Vacuum” floats along, eyes glaze and minds wander, for better or worse. The minimalist and Cox vocalizes over feedback-spewing guitars. Thefeedback is one side ofDeerhunter’s “Inners Pace” is a collection ofharsh percusguitar playing, which also frequently involves sion samples organized into a moderately shimmering scales and cutting punk chords. interesting rhythm. Saint then fades in to Further stylistic changes come in “Saved “Afoot,” where lead singer Liz Bougatsos delivers chillingly nonsensical vocals. It’s modem

By Old Times,” which is anchored by a bluesy acoustic guitar hook, and “Calvary Scars,” dance music meets psychedelic acid tests.

Saint Dymphna will take some on a strange a superb vignette of Cox’s somber state of mind. Cox has come out from the tentativetrip, assuming you can make it through the ness that showed on his earlier work to fully 11 songs. Some won’t get past the opening tracks, labeling the sound asjust too weird. I embrace his extensive musical range, and the band has skillfully followed. guess you’re either on the bus or off the bus.

—Kevin Lincoln —Sam Schlinkert

recess

PAGES

HAYTI from page 3 Johnson. The Sounds I See: Diddley Bows, UdaDrums, Udungo Drums & More provides artifacts ofAfrican music and explores its continuing effects on American culture. Ranging from drums to flutes to stringed instruments, each is accompanied by an explanation of their origin and how they are made.

To complement its visual components, the Center also hosts theater and musical concerts. The Carpetbag Theater Ensemble will perform Linda Parris-Bailey’s play, Between a Ballad and a Blues Nov. 21. The piece tells the story of acclaimed musician Howard “Louie Bluie” Armstrong and the tradition of black string bands as a part of American musical history.

The Hayti Center will also co-sponsor blues legend 8.8. King’s performance at the Durham Performing Arts Center Nov. 30, a booking that demonstrates the Center’s influence and continuing efforts to promote art to Durham.

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“[The center] is not just for people who reside in the [Hayti] community—it’s for everybody in the city of Durham,” said Wanita Massenburg, a member of the foundation’s Board of Directors. “It is a huge and enriched culture that many come to support and witness.”

The Hayti Heritage and the St. Joseph’s Historic Foundation also have extensive ties to Duke.

“Many Duke employees have either served on the board of directors, volunteered at St. Joseph’s sponsored events or generally supported the organization through financial contributions,” Edward Gomes, associate dean for arts and sciences information science and technology at the University and chair of the foundation’s Board of Directors, wrote in an e-mail.

The two institutions have collaborated on projects in the past. For example, the center has hosted Duke’s United in Praise chorale and lectures featuring Duke

professors.

Looking to the future, Pledger says the center hopes to have a permanent exhibition space for art by 2012 that will be similar to the Nasher Museum ofArt.

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CHRONICLE

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worries that, as happened with Tony Blair, high expectations may fuel disappointment down the road.

“People are going to have to hold on to how historical it is to have a black president,” he says. “It’s going to be tough, it’s not going to be easy, but if Obama is elected, we will live in a world of possibilities starting November 5.”

As an Englishman, Bragg realizes his somewhat tenuous position. When Canadian-bom Neil Young, a longtime U.S. resident but not citizen, released a Bush-bashing record in 2006, he was harshly criticized by the right Bragg couches his political speech in terms of the international perspective.

“Obviously, I would like to see a change after the last eight years,” he says. “I think the candidacy of Barack Obama is important, but it’s not really my place to tell people to go out and vote for him. As a foreigner I have a view to give. There’s a lot ofanti-Americanism out there, most of it knee-jerk. Electing a black person would be a great way t0... set a new precedent.”

But even if the Democrat is elected, Bragg isn’t concerned about the health ofhis craft, with plenty of subject material on the horizon. “If you look at the economic situation, we’ll be writing Woody Guthrie-type songs,” he says.

But political songwriters will face additional challenges in getting their message out, he says. Bragg himself jumped to an independent label for his latest release, Mr. Love and Justice, after his longtime major label, Elektra, ceased to exist.

“I think if you look at the music industry, the challenge is to make sure the next Billy Bragg—or Wendy Bragg—is able to have a career,” he says, adding that artists will have to rely on carefully targeted tours and word-of-mouth coverage through blogs instead of just signing with an American label and getting them to finance a tour, as he was able to do early in his career.

An impassioned advocate of political music, Bragg says he hopes to inspire younger generations to take up guitars, pianos and microphones to make their voices heard.

“Music can offer a different prospect and challenge people’s assumptions,” he says. “That’s what I aspire to every night—l think, ‘There might be someone out there tonight who I can help to give the tools to go home and mount their own argument.’”

But Bragg has also strived for balance throughout his career—a'balance reflected in the title of Mr. Love and Justice, his first record in six years. After a 2002 album focused on the meaning of Englishness, Bragg took time to write a book about racism and identity politics, particularly the rise of the far-right in East London.

“It was a polemical outpouring over a three-year period,” he says. “And when I started writing songs again, the songs that I wrote were predominandy love songs.”

Perhaps that worked too well—the angry McCain sup porter had come to a New York City show expecting the softer side of Bragg, only to get a political broadside.

That’s likely to be the case Saturday night, too.

But does Duke Performances’ booking Bragg immediately before the election constitute an implicit endorsement ofBarack Obama? Not so much, says Director Aaron Greenwald.

“What does a political artist have to offer an audience that already agrees with them?”he asks. “What I’m interested in ishow Billy has been an effective political songwriter for nearly three decades now. I don’t think we are endorsing Barack Obama.

Maybe Barack Obama is way too centrist for Billy Bragg.”

To read more of Bragg’s interview with David Graham, see playground, chronicleblogs. com.

Billy Bragg appears at Bp. m. Saturday in Page Auditorium with the Watson Twins. Tickets are $5 for students, S2O-34for others.

C

The Chronicle

brxrts i

SPORTS BLOG

Running back Re'quan Boyette will officially take a redshirt year this season

SPORTS BLOG

Read a Q&A with Director of Athletics Kevin White about

B

THURSDAY October 30,2008

economics and sports

FOOTBALL \ SCOUTING THE OPPONENT

Injured kicker proves crucial to Wake’s success by

Stephen Allan THE CHRONICLE

It’s rare that a coach will openly admit on one player when formulating a game plan.

It’s even rarer, though, when that player is the team’s kicker.

But that’s just what Wake Forest head coach Jim Grobe said Wednesday when discussing Sam Swank, who has missed three straight weeks with an injured quadricep and is unlikely to play Saturday against Duke.

“It’s really hard for me to call a game now because I’m so used to relying on that guy,” Grobe said. “It’s also tough on the players because they love the guy. He’s a guy that our players really count on.”

Grobe isn’t mincing words when it comes to Swank. The redshirt senior won the team MVP award in 2006, when the Demon Deacons won the ACC championship and finished with an 11-2 record. He has also been a semifinalist for the Lou Groza Award, given to the nation’s best kicker, in every year of his career.

This year, he had made 10-of-13 field goals with a long of 49 yards.

More than anything, though, his absence over the past three weeks has exposed his value to Wake Forest. Before he went down, the Demon Deacons were 3-1 and ranked No. 25 in the country.

Since then, however, the team has lost two of its past three games, with the only win coming against an underachieving to relying

Clemson team in a game that led to Tommy Bowden’s resignation two days later.

Swank’s backup, redshirt freshman Shane Popham, has had a difficult time living up to Swank’s stature, converting a mere 3-of-8 field goals with a long of 32 yards.

“I can certainly understand [their situation],” Duke head coach David Cutcliffe said. “Until you don’t have a deep snapper, a placekicker or a punter, you tend to take those young men for granted.... [Swank’s] one of the best I’ve seen. His accuracy, steadiness and maturity—that can give the team a sense of confidence.”

Swank’s field-goal kicking is the most glaring absence, but far from the only important one. Swank had averaged 37.6 yards per punt with 10 of his 18 punts pinning opponents inside the 20. Although Popham’s average yards per punt is only 0.9 yards worse, he has nailed punts inside the 20 only four out of 20 times and already has two touchbacks.

Popham’s kickoffs also have not traveled as far, going only 57.6 yards per kick compared to Swank’s 65. This essentially gives the other team a minimum starting position on its own 15-yard line and a chance to set up with better field position, which Cutdiffe calls “hidden yardage.” TheDemon Deacons used to rely on this subtle gamechanger to keep their opponents at bay.

At this point, however, Grobe has admitted SEE FOOTBALL ON PAGE 10

CHRONICLE FILE PHOTO

Wake Forest has sorely missed its kicker Sam Swank, a semifinalistfor theLou Groza Award in his first three seasons. Since he went down with a quadriceps injury, the Demon Deacons have dropped from 3-1 to 4-3.

WOMEN'S SOCCER

Blue Devils eye chance for signature victory Fresh off a 6-0 thumping over Clemson, it would appear that No. 11 Duke could cruise right into the postseason with just two games remaining.

But with a marquee win still missing and teams still jockeying for ACC tournament positioning, the remaining contests could be the most crucial in determinNo. 11 ing just how far the Duke Blue Devils go this postseason.

No. 8 Thursday On UVa night, Duke (12-32, 4-2-2 in the ACC) THURSDAY, 7 p.m. begins a short yet Klockner Stadium critical stretch as it faces off against No. 8 Virginia (12-3-1, 62) at 7 p.m. in Klockner Stadium.

A win, combined with another victory against Virginia Tech Sunday afternoon, could give the Blue Devils third place in the conference, which would guarantee that they would not face likely No. 1 seed North Carolina until the championship game at the earliest.

“We’ve been in this place before,” head

w

lAN SOILEAU/CHRONICLE FILE PHOTO

Seniors Lorraine Quinn (center) and CassidyPowers (right) are only guaranteed four more games in their careers.

coach Robbie Church said. “Everybody knows if you’re in that four or five slot, you’re going to get Carolina. But there are so many good teams in that league, it’s hard to pick and choose who you want to

play.”

Duke has one right in front of it in the Cavaliers, who have only lost one home contest this year, when they fell to the Tar Heels 5-1 last Friday. Beating Virginia would give the Blue Devils just their second win in six tries against ranked opponents this season and their first victory against the Cavaliers since 2004, when they defeated Virginia 3-0 in the second round of the NCAA tournament.

Church said that his team did match up well with the Cavaliers, however, and with his seniors down to their last few games, he feels they will help the team continue its momentum into postseason

play.

“They’re only guaranteed four more games in their career,” Church said. “It does get a little scary, but right now the whole team’s in good spirits.”

—from staffreports

THE CHRONICLE

10 I THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30,2008

FOOTBALL from page 9 that Popham could be his kicker for the rest of the season. He also said that Popham probably wasn’t ready to lake over so suddenly.

“Shane never dreamed that he’d have to be the guy this year—he’s on cruise control, thinking, ‘l’ll kick after Sam leaves,'” Grobe said. “He’s a guy that needs more reps and more time.”

But for a team that has looked less and less like the Demon Deacons ofold and more and more like the Blue Devils’ kicking game of old, repetitions and time are not something that can be afforded. With that fact and Swank’s likely unavailability, there’s really only one thing Grobe has left in his pocket: hope.

“We’re hoping he gets well overnight,” Grobe said. “As much as you want to say play with [the injury], he can’t.”

Which means that as much as Wake Forest would like to play with Swank, it can’t—and, as a result, could be bound for its third loss in four games.

CHRONICLE FILE PHOTO

Kicker Sam Swank is unlikely to play against the Blue Devils, and hisabsence couldhurt the Demon Deacons.

LAWSON KURTZ/CHRONICLE FILE

PHOTO

First-year Director ofAthletics Kevin White said intercollegiate athletics could be affected by an economic downturn and a potential recession in many ways.

ATHLETICS from page 1 expected to change and evolve further, rather than be implemented this year.

Still, the Department of Athletics would have been in prime shape to accept donations given the positive publicity of Mike Krzyzewski’s leading Team USA to an Olympic gold medal and David Cutcliffe’s transformation of the football program.

But before the athletic department could see the financial results, Wall Street fell into disarray.

After sharp changes in the economy, $325 million seems a loftier goal than it did in May. “I don’t think intercollegiate athletics is recession-proof as an enterprise,” White said. “Every team, every program within intercollegiate athletics, needs to modify behavior during these challenging times.”

And charitable giving could be one of the aspects of the department hit hardest by a stagnant economy. Raising money was a crucial part of the strategic plan and future of the department, but it has already proven more difficult than it was just months ago.

“The University is looking at a major campaign, and athlet-

ics anticipates playing a very big part of that. The timing of that campaign and how we roll that out, is going to be affected,” said Tom Coffman, associate athletic director for development and planning. “We need to be very sensitive about what’s going on with the economy, and we can use this opportunity to think about how we do our work in the future.”

Downturn doesn’t discriminate In five recessions since 1967, overall charitable giving fell an average of 1 percent adjusted for inflation, whereas in non-recession years, it increased by an average of 4.3 percent adjusted for inflation, according to an Oct. 24 Bloomberg News article. In two of those recessions—l 973 and 2001—contributions failed to keep pace with inflation for three straight years, leading Coffman to speculate that fundraising might suffer until 2010.

“We’re going to see, and we are seeing, some effect right now,” he said. “We just don’t know how big it’s ultimately going to be, or how long. But no question, we already see impact—people who have said, T can’t contribute as much as I did last year, 1 can’t pay my pledges off when I thought I could, you’re going to SEE ATHLETICS II ON PAGE 12

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THE CHRONICLE

12 1 THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30,2008

ATHLETICS II from page 10 have to give me time to see where the market goes.’”

In 2006-2007, Duke raised more than $25 million in athletics donations, the 17th-highest mark in the NCAA’s six major Division I conferences, according to The Chronicle of Higher Education. The school raised about $l5O million from 2002 to 2007, fourth most in the ACC alone.

The $325 million campaign at the heart of the plan was born from the year-long process of weighing goals, objectives and priorities of the department.

The exact number likely would have been re-examined and determined anew this year, Coffman said.

The planning, however, did not occur during a slumping economy. The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed at 12,745 on May 9, the day before the Board ofTrustees approved the strategic plan, and topped the 13,000 mark 10 days later. By Oct. 27, it was down to 8,175.

The drop has been felt by both the Iron Dukes’ most generous givers and those smaller donors who give hundreds of

dollars every year for various uses within the department, “It hasn’t discriminated,” said Mark Carter, director of the Football Enhancement Fund, the football branch of the Iron Dukes. “It’s affecting everybody, from the few at one end of that spectrum to the many at the other end and everyone in between. There are a lot of people who have lost a lot ofmoney.... All of them who have said, ‘I just can’t do it at this time,’ are referencing the effects of the market.”

Economy doesn’t slow planning The Iron Dukes and those responsible for development, accordingly, have been forced to adapt to the current environment and change their fundraising techniques.

When Carter hits the road to meet with boosters, he doesn’t necessarily ask for money—he is trying to forge relationships that could prove fruitful in the future. Coffman said his office has been flexible about accepting contributions and outstanding donations.

“We would be insensitive to move into the external constituency groups and try to generate lots of resources for intercollegiate athletics,” White said. “Last time I checked,

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dukechroniclesports.com Jj

nothing around here isn’t trying to be really good and excellent—every entity on campus needs more resources. I don’t believe it’s the time to go out and try to generate more resources for those well-stated aspirations that appear in the strategic plan.”

The strategic plan called for a potential restoration of Cameron Indoor Stadium, renovations of Wallace Wade Stadium and Jack Coombs Field and portions ofKoskinen Stadium and an expansion offacilities for club and intramural sports. Those facilities projects were all considered tasks that could be accomplished in three to five years in the strategic plan, while the $l5O million endowment of the entire department was billed as a five- to 10-year goal.

Those dates will likely be delayed now, but in terms of planning, the falling economy is not necessarily detrimental, said Mike Cragg, senior associate director of athletics and director of the Legacy Fund.

“The economy doesn’t slow down our planning, nor is it going to slow down our vision,” Cragg said. “It translates into how quickly we can see that vision come to life. I think we all have to be realistic about thatand judge on a daily basis the way things have been.”

Without the announcement of a new capital campaign, athletics fundraisers have turned to thinking about future prospects and challenging past assumptions about a typical fundraising base. In addition, the athletic department now has more time to analyze the strategic plan, create a menu of facilities for the immediate and long term and determine the exact goal of its fundraising campaign.

“At the risk ofbeing Pollyanish, in times like this, one of the good things that can happen is it becomes more obvious that you have to be willing to take chances and make changes,” said Coffman, who has worked in development offices for more than 30 years. “When things are good, everybody is less willing to take chances, less willing to try and change. If there is a silver lining, that’s one.”

‘Show how good you really are’ The short time between the United States’ last recession in 2001 and this economic slump saw two major additions to the University’s athletic landscape: the $15.2 million Michael W. Krzyzewski Center forAcademic Excellence and the $22 million Yoh Football Center.

Members of the Legacy Fund—the group of 34 donors who have pledged more than $1 million to Duke Basketball—played a large part in the construction of the Krzyzewski Center. Yoh was bankrolled by Spike and Mary Yoh’s $5.5 million gift and by 750 other donations, more than halfof which came from former football players.

Yoh’s completion was hailed as a recruiting tool that would help revitalize Duke’s football program, but it took more than a building for the Blue Devils to have a winning record in November—Duke had to fire two coaches before that could happen.

Cutcliffe’s changes have translated to wins on the field, and if people weren’t so adversely affected by the economy, Carter said his job would be markedly different “People are so optimistic about the program and really excited about it, people want to invest,” he said. “People like to invest in things that they’re passionate about For some time now, people have been discouraged about Duke Football. Now that we’re in a place where folks are excited, you’d wish that the market were a little better. If it was, obviously they’d have more money to invest You want people to believe in what you’re doing, and it’s just not as easy for them to make that investment.”

There are, however, some “bright spots among the dark clouds,” Cragg said, referencing a Legacy Fund member’s renewal for another $1 million gift in the last month. It is the department’s job to continue to find those patches, he said.

The falling markets, then, afford department a longer window of opportunity to perfect its plan and pinpoint sources of giving, but it also encourages fundraisers to act more like Duke’s athletes. Adversity reveals athletes’ true mettle, and fundraisers are no different, Coffman said.

“It wouldbe too easy to hang your head,” he said. “But that, in my mind, is really counter to what we teach. This is adversity. This is a chance to show how good you really are.... People are looking for sources where they can get some positive, where they can look some place where things aren’t bad, where there’s not so much gloom and doom, where somebody can at least paint a picture of some hope. We’re going to be there with them when it’s tough, and when it’s good, we’re there with them, too.”

THE chronicle

XXXDAY, MONTH XX, 2008

THE Daily Crossword

1 13

Edited by Wayne Robert Williams

ACROSS

Young fish Deep, unnatural sleep

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Ethiopia

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By Alan P. Olschwang Huntington Beach, CA

3 Park in California 4 Took care of 5 Catalonian cheer 6 Block of paper 7 Greek vowel 8 Cowboys' showcases 9 Big fuss 10 Keep inside 11 Old-fashioned

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14 | THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30,2008

CHRONICLE

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extended conversation like hot food served in a clean and wellk_Jan uninspiring late-night lit place. This means that for choice between McDonald’s, Loop frequenters, the recent JimmyJohn’s delivery and their cutback in hours will change not just what local vending into machine. The editorial goes their mouths Loop’s new closing hours Sunday through in die wee hours of the mornWednesday have stripped the ing, but what comes out In 2007, die Campus Culonly late-night, sit-down dining option on campus of its status ture Initiative Steering Report as the obvious tie-breaker for put forth a set of dining rechungry students seeking real ommendations that continue to serve as a touchstone for brain food.

The change in closing time, evaluating dining changes and from 2 am. midnight, is bad as a reminder of the significant news for students who rely on role that dining culture plays in the few reasonably healthy shaping social engagement at items on the Loop menu for the University.

If the irregular schedule their nightly energy boost But the change is especially unforof the average college student tunate for anyone with an apis any indication, the same petite for a decent atmosphere concerns apply to the many after midnight meals students tend to eat outAfter all, nothing makes for side conventional mealtimes. students in search a study snack now face

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he’ll be accusing me of being a secret communist because I shared my toys in kindergarten.

Sen. Barack Obama at a rally in Raleigh Wednesday, on presidential rival John McCain’s charges that Obama’s tax policies were socialist.

See story page 1.

LETTERS POLICY

purposes ofidentification, phone number and local address, letters should not exceed 325 words; contact the editorial department for information regarding giest columns.

The Chronicle will not publish anonymous or form letters or letters that are promotional in nature. The Chronicle reserves the right to edit letters and guest columns for length, clarity and style and the right to withhold letters based on the discretion of the editorial page editor.

e,. 1905

Direct submissions

to:

Editorial Page Department The Chronicle Box 90858, Durham, NC 27708 Phone: (919) 684-2663 Fax: (919) 684-4696 E-mail: chronicleletters@duke.edu

The Chronicle

1993

CHELSEA ALLISON, Editor EUGENE WANG, Managing Editor SHUCHI PARIKH, NewsEditor BEN COHEN, Sports Editor MAYA ROBINSON, PhotographyEditor LISA MA, Editorial Page Editor JULIA LOVE, University Editor EMMELINE ZHAO, University Editor SEAN MORONEY, Online Editor JONATHAN ANGIER, GeneralManager JOHN HARPHAM, Editorial Board Chair NAUREEN KHAN, Local & NationalEditor KRISTEN DAVIS, Health & ScienceEditor NATHAN FREEMAN, Features Editor ZACHARY TRACER, News PhotographyEditor AUSTIN BOEHM, EditorialPage Managing Editor LISA DU, WireEditor ROB COPELAND, TowerviewEditor ALEX KLEIN, Editor hrNew Media BAISHIWU, Recess Managing Editor GLEN GUTTERSON,Recess Photography Editor GABRIELLE MCGLYNN,Recruitment Chair WENJIA ZHANG, Recruitment Chair CHRISSY BECK, Advertising/MarketingDirector MONICA FRANKLIN, Durham Ad Sales Manager STEPHANIE RISBON, Administrative Coordinator

cision to shorten hours sensible from a business perspective.

But even though the service may not be cost-effective, the value students derive from having an alternative to McDonald’s makes subsidization from the University an appealing idea.

This particular case may be a sensible opportunity for the University to consider the benefits of venturing away from the cost-recovery model.

The Faculty Commons is an example of a dining venue currently subsidized by theUniversity, and the feet that the Loop attracts a larger percentage of the student population on a regular basis suggests that similar efforts to subsidize the popular eatery late at night may be wellworth pursuing, The University has not releasedany numbers, which lim-

its our ability

to

assess whether

subsidizing extra hours at the Loop would look as promising in detail as it does in theory. We also acknowledge that the fiscal climate makes the timing for adopting such a model less

than ideal. But rough mental calculation at least suggests that the benefits of keeping the Loop open longer could potentially outweigh the operating costs.

A plate offries at 1 a.m. may seem unimportant, but the good company and conversation that crop up around it are valuable around-the-clock in a college community. The University must take this into account if all of the diningcentered discussion—and the renovation projects currendy

underway—are

to amount to

a real investment in improving our campus culture.

The myth of “hard work”

hh I don’t know what’s next. By the end of the week,

The Chronicle welcomes submissions in the form of letters to the editor or guest columns. Submissions must include the author’s name, signature, department or class, and for

When open late, an eatery like the lx)op offers students more than decent menu options: It allows students to congregate spontaneously and enjoy the full advantages of all-hours communal interchange unique to the college experience.

(McDonald’s, by the way, offers none of these advantages: It is an out-of-the-way, unhealthy, cramped fast-food place with loud TVs.) The fact is, the change in Loop hours is the biggest setback in late-night food news since the installment of a 24hour McDonald’s in the Bryan Center basement to make up for the disappearance of the distinctly more unique 24-hour Rick’s Diner from McClendon Tower.

Granted, the Loop does not usually bustle with activity after midnight, which makes the de-

MATTHEW ILES, Sports Managing Editor WILL ROBINSON, Local & NationalEditor JESSICA LIGHTER, Health & Science Editor DAVID GRAHAM, Recess Editor CHASE OLIVIERI, Sports PhotographyEditor REBECCA WU, Editorial PageManaging Editor ALEXANDRA BROWN, Towerview Editor HONLUNG CHU, Design Director NANCY WANG, Recess Managing Editor ALYSSA REICHARDT, TowerviewPhotography Editor LAWSON KURTZ, Online Photography Editor GABE STAROSTA, Recruitment Chair MARY WEAVER, Operations Manager BARBARA STARBUCK, Production Manager REBECCA DICKENSON, Chapel Hill Ad Sales Manager

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Both

my parents immigrated to this country from Ghana, West Africa to attend graduate school. Their tales of university life are void of socializing and skipping classes, and strictly involve working coun dess jobs and studying tirelessly. Although I’m not sure if I buy it, either way I believe without a doubt that my parents are hard workers.

In reward for their hard work, my parents were nana duffuor able to provide a middle-class way minority report of life for my sister and me—we’re able to reside in a safe neighborhood and go to college. From their own experiences, my parents came to trust whole-heartedly in the American dream, and they instilled in their children a “pull yourself up by your bootstraps” mentality.

But if the American dream is our modem doctrine, an unwavering belief in meritocracy to which we prescribe in order to give our civic lives meaning, I must admit I am losing faith, and I am pretty sure my parents are too.

This past weekend we met “Tito the Builder,” a Colombian immigrant, Virginia resident and small construction company owner who introduced Gov. Sarah Palin at a Virginia rally. Palin summed up Tito’s sentiments as follows: “Everything is possible in America, I made it, Joe the Plumber can make it even bigger than me.... If you work hard, if you know what hard work feels like, and if you want to get ahead and if you believe America is the land of possibilities and you don’t want your dreams dashed by the Obama tax increase plan... then you are Joe the Plumber too.”

Palin’s rhetoric is filled with the glorification of hard work and a notion often adopted by successful immigrants—if I could do it, so can the next person. But through much of this election the Republican party hasn’t quite been able to accurately gauge public sentiment.

Amid tossing around accusations of terrorist links and socialist ideology, Sen. John McCain and Palin missed the memo: These days, the American dream is increasingly out of reach for even the hardest worker and, despite our idealism, this country is not, nor has it ever been, a meritocracy.

Back in the day—when being middle-class meant having a stable job with fair pay, access to healthcare, a safe home and the ability to provide

your children with a quality education—McCain and Palin’s condemnation of government intervention and praise of hardworking, high-achieving Americans may have held the perfect amount of political potency.

But in the year 2008, in an economic downturn that has resulted in mass layoffs and unemployment, when Americans are strapped for cash as it is, their message misses the mark completely.

Today even the hardest working middle-class member cannot afford the rising expenses ofmiddle-class life. And the hardest-working, smartest student may not be able to afford the exorbitant tuitions of the most competitive colleges.

According to Pew Research Center’s 2008 Report, Inside the Middle Class: Bad Times Hit the Good Life, 79 percent ofAmericans—and 78 percent of the middle class—say it is more difficult now than five years ago for people in the middle class to maintain their standard of living. This was before economic turmoil, which has exacerbated middle class Americans’ need to pinch pennies.

Unaffordable healthcare and high tuitions further contribute to the inattainability of American middle-class life. Wealth is so unequally distributed that the middle class, the foundation of any nation, has become seriously endangered. McCain and Palin are not ignorant of these facts, but instead of adapting to the reality, they continue to feed a message that simply no longer applies.

Americans cannot afford to wait until they’ve “made it” financially to reap the many benefits of Republican economics; folks need a little help along the way.

Personally, I predict that whoever makes it to the White House will have to seriously revise his tax plan—they’re just too expensive for the mess that we’re in. I do, however, believe Sen. Barack Obama’s position on the myth of hard work is more on target. In defense of his “socialist” tax plan, Obama admits, “folks like me... have worked hard, but frankly also [have] been lucky.”

Perhaps McCain, Palin and those who seem to imply that people who are not making it are not making it because they do not embrace the value of hard work could take some time out to recognize that their own work ethic was accompanied by lucky circumstances and assistance. From where that assistance should come is well worth debating, but don’t tell us that hard work is all it takes to “get ahead” in the “land of possibilities.

That ship has sailed.

NanaDuffuor is a Trinity junior. Her column runs every other Thursday.

THE chronicle

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30,2008 1 15

commentaries

Silly

letterstotheeditor Vote for McCrory The Chronicle Editorial Board’s OcL 22 endorsement of Michael Munger for governor was impractical at best.

What was more troubling was the lack of context in its recommendation of Beverly Purdue.

As the presidential candidates promote change in Washington, North Carolinians could certainly stand a little change in Raleigh too. As The News & Observer put it in its OcL 22 endorsement of Pat McCrory, “three years of scandals and the imprisonment of three former or current legislators have soiled North Carolina’s capital.” His proposals to clean up the capital seem spot-on. McCrory’s proposal to create special state grand juries to investigate political crimes is a timely idea. He has also proposed measures to make state government more accountable and transparent, including an online database that would provide N.C. taxpayers with information about all government expenditures and contracts. It’s time for good ’ol boy politics to end in North Carolina, and that will require real leadership.

McCrory’s experience as a record-setting seven-term mayor of Charlotte, even though the majority of voters are Democrat and Independent, proves he is capable of such leadership. One ofhis biggest achievements as mayor was the construction of the light-rail system in Charlotte.

Although The Chronicle cited his “massive road-building projects,” they failed to mention his plans for promoting environmentally friendly mass transit, HOY lanes, park and ride facilities and requiring state-owned fleets to use alternate-energy vehicles.

Unless there is real change in Raleigh, we will continue to see an erosion of public trust Purdue has served as lieutenant governor for the last eight years, playing an important role in a state government that has already dis-

appointed voters. North Carolina deserves better and McCrory is the answer.

Fortunately, we are about to witness something that has happened only twice in the last 100 years, the election of a Republican as North Carolina’s governor.

Price ain’t right Let me say one thing in response to The Chronicle Editorial Board’s Oct. 27 endorsement of David Price for 4th District House seat: I hope you are not North Carolina voters.

Did you research Price or just stop at the (D) behind his name? He voted for the Patriot Act; you implied otherwise. He voted for the Farm Bill. He went on a five-week August vacation rather than stay in Congress to pass an energy bill.

But most troubling are Price’s decisions during the $7OO billion bailout Price’s Durham and Chapel Hill offices randomly closed after a swell in public outcry; challenger BJ. Lawson shota quick video ofit (tinyurl.com/noprice).

Price’s D.C. office would not reveal his position an hour before the first bailout vote. Staff suggestedI “check online later.” Are you proud to endorse these tactics too?

Lawson has run a tough, smart and honest campaign against an unresponsive twenty-year incumbent. No matter your politics, you must admire Lawson’s principles.

That’s why Fm proud to vote Lawson on Nov. 4.

Abby Alger Trinity ’O9

The price of motivation 5O for an A, $35 for a B, and $2O for a C. Every five my students get paid that much in five of their classes. This means that if a student gets straight As, they could get paid $2,000 over the course of the 40-week school year. Would you do better in your classes if you were paid for your grades?

This year, 20 Chicago Public Schools were selected to participate in an innovative strategy, “The Paper Project,” which financially rewards freshj;9no 9nap] 9 Jiang ailgeia men students for their grades. The students get i be tweakill paid half the amount that they earn every five weeks; the other half is saved in the bank until they graduate from high school. The students get paid in their five core classes: English, reading, science, math and physical education. Students don’t earn any money for Ds, and if they get an F they do not get paid any money at all until they pass that class.

As an intrinsically motivated student and a teacher who struggles to encourage students to truly value education, I was initially outraged when I heard “The Paper Project” would be implemented in my school. Whatever happened to the value of education? What about the love of learning? Will paying students for their grades in high school set them up for failure in college?

Despite my apprehension, over the course of the past eight weeks, I have slowly warmed to this idea. After the first five-week grading period, Ame Duncan (the superintendent of CPS) and Roland Fryer (the Harvard economics professor who developed the project) came to my school to speak to the students and distribute their paychecks. Fryer spoke about flow he was a high school dropout and only went back to school because he was lucky enough to have people in his life to motivate him.

He explained that the paychecks were his way to motivate 1 1 weeks, /

.

I’ve

been warned by my editor, under penalty of death, to refrain from writing a political column the week before the election. But, on the verge of what might be the most

Samantha Mumma Chair, DukeStudents for Pal McCrary Trinity ’ll

all of the students at the school and give back to the community.

This made me think about when I was in school and how incredibly supportive and motivating my own parents were. Education was the priority in my family, no excuses. For my students, 98 percent of whom are on free or reduced lunch, taking care of their younger siblings and working part-time Jobs to make sure their families are fed are their priorities. Now, getting paid for their grades may be the justification they need to spend extra time on their school work at home, and ultimately results in an even larger reward: graduation.

Why can’t the long-term benefit of high school graduation be enough? Ruby Payne wrote in her book A Framework for Understanding Poverty that people brought up in generational poverty perceive the concept of time as the immediate present, the middle class perceives it as the future and the wealthy perceives it as tradition and history. What is more immediate than a monetary reward every five weeks?

Two days ago, one of my students, V, arrived 20 minutes tardy. Here’s how the conversation ensued: Ms. Jiang: V, you are 20 minutes late to my class. What have you been doing?

V: I just got here, I missed the bus.

Ms. Jiang: You ride public transportation; the bus comes every 10 minutes. It’s also 3rd period. You have completely missed your other classes. That is unacceptable. What do you think the principal would say if I told him I missed the bus and arrived two hours late?

V: You get paid for your job.

Ms. Jiang: You do too.

V frowned, and entered my class. Yesterday and today, he was on time.

There are urgent issues concerning the state ofeducation in our inner-city schools—drastic and radical action may be the solution. Fm willing to see if it is.

AngelaJiang, Trinity ’O7, is a second-year teacherwith Teach Chicago. Her column runs every other Thursday.

for America in

COLUMNISTAPPLICATIONS The Chronicle is now accepting applications for columnists for the upcoming spring semester. Applications are available from lms4@duke.edu.

season

momentous

Tuesday since a deceitSSSbes?' fully warm September morning seven years ago, my mind can’t help but wonder how differently this might have all turned out. tOTiq 111011100011 This time last year, any political analyst worth frankie says relax their salt would have been panned if they had picked Sen. Barack Obama and Sen. John McCain to duke it out this fall.

Democrats pointed to Sen. Hillary Clinton’s money and Sen. John Edward’s folksy charm. Republicans were enamored with Gov. Mitt Romney’s graying temples and Sen. Fred Thompson’s... something... nobody quite knew what, but it was more than just Law & Orderand they were all drinking the Kool Aid. Obama was just that guy who made a speech (and that’s all people really knew back then) while McCain was an old man running a campaign that made a headless chicken look focused.

What happened? The past year happened, that’s what. Last year was an epic year of almost Shakespearean proportions —the drama and theater were nonstop. We had upset wins in primaries followed by baby-mama scandals; charges of racism confronted with the equally heated charges of sexism and mad preachers on both sides. Debates on Mormonism, evolution and immigrants dominated the right while the left was propelled through the year by a dogged campaign that simply refused to end.

Meanwhile, we were fighting a war that deteriorated daily as we sat through an economy that refused to stop tanking. Gas prices reached staggering heights; gas prices experienced dizzying falls. In short, Kafka’s nightmares were less confusing than 2008. It’s a wonder that we all came through this standing, let alone with two presidential candidates who, by Vegas-style odds, had no right to even be considered potential victors a year ago.

Honestly, for a political junkie, this past year has been like crack for me. Anything and everything I could have wished to happen happened. It’s been a year where a newspaper tabloid gained credibility in its efforts to unearth a scandal (Edwards... you lose) and where blogs dug up “smoke—ing” guns that would never have been found before (Sorry Barack, your Internet machine only goes so far). McCain learned how to e-mail and every candidate learned to fear Stephen Colbert.

This is an election that captures the Zeitgeist of the American people in almost every way. The last time I can recall the entire population being anywhere near so captivated by and intertwined with the political process was the protracted legal battle in Florida during 2000.

It is an election where new and old media have come together to help politics dominate our culture like never before. This is the first YouTube election with both campaigns using digital media to a staggering effect. This is also the first large-scale Facebook election that has helped candidates of all backgrounds gain a foothold on a rejuvenated youth. Of course, much of it had to do with not only the candidates themselves but also what is seemingly at stake.

This is a special election for these reasons and so many more: From the theater it provided to the players it brought to the stage, it has been simply exhilarating. I, for one, am sad that it is going to be over. We should all realize, no matter what the results are this Tuesday, that these past 15 months have been something special—the likes of which we see rarely. I can’t profess to say that the next four or eight years will be revolutionary—that still remains to be seen. I can say though that I doubt that an election will come again that will ever arrest the hearts and minds of so many as has this year. Face it, kids, this is our defining election. I hope you all revel in the next four days. ,

.

Tariq Mohideen is a Trinity senior. His column runs every other Thursday.

THE

16 I THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30,2008

CHRONICLE

CENTER FOR SPIRITUALITY THEOLOGY and HEALTH DUKE

UNIVERSITY

SEMINAR

Undernutrition: A Negiected Global Health Priority

Ellen Piwoz Senior Program Officer, Global Health Program Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation

“The Biopolitics of Religion and Medicine Research” Seminar will explore the darker side of the drive to study religious belief and practice, and claim that this drive is not dissimilar to the drive to political control; by placing the social sciences in historical and political contexts, and showing that these sciences have inherent limitations when examining religious belief and practice.

Piwoz has over 25 years of experience working on nutrition issues in Asia, Africa, and Latin America, with a recent focus on nutrition and HIV/AIDS research in Africa.

3:00 pm, November 3,2008 John Hope Franklin Center 2204 Erwin Road, Room 240 Light refreshments served

PSDUKE w GLOBAL HEALTH

-auuKt UNivtHbiir

Center for

International Studies

INSTITUTE

Center for Spirituality, Theology and Health Duke Center for Aging and Human Development

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